Cost of Living Comparison Between Ancud and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ancud and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,087 in Ancud versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,649 in Ancud versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,210 in Ancud versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ancud costs roughly 16% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ancud 19% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.76 CLP 7,772

$11.73 MX$203

-25.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.37 CLP 39.4K

$41.62 MX$720

6.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 CLP 7,220

$10.64 MX$184

-23.59%

Cappuccino

$2.80 CLP 2,489

$3.52 MX$60.9

-20.45%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 CLP 1,164

$1.51 MX$26.12

-13.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 CLP 913

$0.97 MX$16.84

6.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 CLP 2,888

$2.95 MX$51.0

10.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 CLP 3,606

$4.45 MX$77.0

-8.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 CLP 1,060

$1.38 MX$23.93

-13.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 CLP 1,346

$1.89 MX$32.72

-19.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,653

$1.64 MX$28.32

13.41%

Eggs

$3.47 CLP 3,076

$2.51 MX$43.34

38.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 CLP 9,444

$8.34 MX$144

27.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 CLP 5,830

$8.34 MX$144

-21.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 CLP 9,574

$10.73 MX$186

0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,684

$2.60 MX$45.04

-26.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,348

$1.46 MX$25.20

4.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 CLP 1,367

$1.90 MX$32.87

-18.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,327

$2.08 MX$35.91

-28.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 CLP 1,133

$1.78 MX$30.71

-28.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 CLP 1,192

$2.19 MX$37.80

-38.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 CLP 1,115

$1.04 MX$17.99

21.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,085

$1.08 MX$18.62

12.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.36 CLP 4,759

$4.08 MX$70.6

31.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 CLP 5,327

$10.32 MX$178

-41.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,385

$1.71 MX$29.61

-8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 CLP 2,004

$2.58 MX$44.54

-12.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 CLP 542

$0.51 MX$8.81

19.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 454

$3.26 MX$56.4

-84.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,227

$1.31 MX$22.61

5.34%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.5K CLP 17.3M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-35.46%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.2K CLP 18.8M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-9.36%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$132 CLP 116.7K

$82.9 MX$1,433

58.71%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.30 CLP 11.8K

$22.22 MX$384

-40.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.35 CLP 19.8K

$29.34 MX$507

-23.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.24 CLP 34.8K

$51.6 MX$893

-24.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.06 CLP 18.7K

$18.32 MX$317

14.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 CLP 5,083

$5.07 MX$87.6

13.02%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$441 CLP 390.9K

$201 MX$3,473

119.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 CLP 45.4K

$36.92 MX$639

38.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.59 CLP 27.1K

$39.79 MX$688

-23.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.9 CLP 55.8K

$78.5 MX$1,357

-19.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 CLP 71.9K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-6.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$488 CLP 432.9K

$973 MX$16.8K

-49.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 CLP 332.9K

$468 MX$8,090

-19.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 CLP 788.9K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-45.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 CLP 534.0K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-50.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

11.42

-54.64%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ancud: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $488 in Ancud and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Ancud vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $228 vs $249, with Ancud cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ancud vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ancud is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,631 in Ancud and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $488 in Ancud versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,087 per month in Ancud versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,087 in Ancud versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ancud but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ancud the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ancud is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Ancud gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.